Means for hanging pictures



(No Model.)

J. E. ELDRIDGE. MEANS FDR HANGING PICTURES.

No. 549,505. Patented Nov 12, 1895.

JiT-ras T INVENT :1 1

hHTTT EW 5. HAMJIIUTO-UTHOWAS NFI'U UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

JERRY E. ELDRIDGE, OF NORTH MADISON, OHIO.

MEANS FOR HANGING PICTURES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549,505, dated November 12, 1895.

Application filed May 25, 1895. Serial No. 550,670. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JERRY E. ELDRIDGE, a citizen of the United States, residing in North Madison, in the county of Lake and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Hanging Pic tures; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has reference to means for hanging pictures; and the invention comprises a frame and a heavy wire upon which the frame is hung, and means to secure the I wire to the frame and, to support the frame upon the wall, substantially as shown and described, and particularly pointed out in 'the claim.

Hitherto, so far as I am aware, it has been the invariable custom to so hang pictures upon the wall that the frame at some point rested against the wall, and various devices have been employed to give the picture more or less inclination, according to its elevation and the style of hanging pictures for the time being and to get the best elevation in view of the light, but in all such cases the pictures contacted with the wall at some point and usually along the bottom thereof. By my construction and arrangement of parts the picture-frame is intended never to touch the wall, but to set out therefrom more or less, as may be desired, and at any desired angle or parallel to the Wall, if preferred, the difference in position being obtained by simply springing the wire to get one position or another.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a rear elevation, somewhat in perspective, of the picture-frame and my novel means of support therefor. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the frame and the support and a vertical section of a portion of a wall to show means of fastening the frame thereto and the relative position of the parts. In this view the picture is supported in a plane parallel to the wall. Fig. 3 is a view of the parts corresponding to Fig. 2, excepting that in this instance the picture is suspended or supported in an inclined position, but apart from the wall also, as in Fig. 1.

A represents a picture-frame, or, indeed,

it may, if desired, be a mirror, and while I do not deem it expedient or practicable to hang the larger sizes of pictures in this way, and have no idea of doing so, yet I have found that the average frame that is found in our parlors and sitting-rooms may be hung in this way with ease and advantage.

B is a flexible wire, which is intended to have rigidity or firmness enough to remain in any position to which it may be bent and hold the picture at the desired angle, whatever that may be. A comparatively small and wholly unobjectionable wire, in so far as appearance is concerned, may be used for this purpose and the wire so used is cut to any desired length.

I have here shown the wire rigidly fixed to the frame A and of a certain definite length and fashioned with eyes in its ends, through which pass small screw-bolts 2. Higher up on the frame is a clamp 3, having a securingscrew 4.. The wire at its respective ends is bent straight to lie against the back of the frame and from this straight portion 5 the wire runs up to a loop 6 at the top. I have preferably given the wire a twist at 7 beneath the loop 6 to make a better and firmer c011- nection and support at this point, and it will be noticed that the place of the twisted portion and the loop 6 is parallel to the wall and that the twist rests against the wall while the securing-screw 8 passes through the loop or eye 6 and firmly fastens the wire to the wall. In this way there occurs a fulcrum, as it were, at 7, which, with the natural rigidity of the wire, serves to hold the picture-frame out in any position to which it may be set or adjusted by the hand.

More or less elevation of the frame with respect to its fastenings may be obtained by releasing the screws 2 and 4c and carrying them up or down, as may be desired.

Vhat I claim as novel, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In hangers for picture frames, the substantially rigid wire B, having an eye 6 at its middle and top through which the said hanger is secured to the wall and a straight rigid portion 7 below the said eye to bear against the wall below the hanging point and having arms inclined outward from said bearing portion 7, and straight lower portions 5 having looped ends, in combination with the picture frame, the screws 2 passed through said looped ends and the fastenings on the frame above 10 said loops, substantially as described.

\Vitness my hand to the foregoing specification this Nith day of May, 1895.

JERRY E. ELDRIDGE.

'Witnesses:

W. A. CoRLETT, SHERMAN CoRLnTT. 

